Review: The Robinson and Takahiro Fuchigami take a side each on this compelling exploration of house music infused with diverse jazz influences. This release effortlessly blends genres, creating a rich and textured soundscape that bridges lounge, disco and blues. Side-1 opens with 'Passion Is The Key', a track that leans into lounge jazz vibes, pairing smooth melodies with a laid-back house groove. Following this, 'A Satisfying Day' injects disco elements into the mix, creating an uplifting fusion of rhythm and melody. Side-2 deepens the jazz-house connection. 'Jazzing Bird' delivers an intricate, jazz-forward interpretation of house, balancing vibrant improvisation with danceable beats. 'How's That Sound?' captures the essence of a smoky jazz club, blending sultry brass lines with a steady house pulse. Closing the release, 'In Motion' incorporates bluesy undertones into a chilled-out vibe, offering a soulful, reflective end to the journey.
Review: Finland's Common Labour label unites four different producers on the fourth volume of its Odd Jobs series, and each of them goes deep in their own inimitable way. Omar Santis begins with an unhuried and smoky dubbed out house with wispy pads and subtle vocals on 'Pinoki.' Flabaire ups the energy with some slick, tightly programmed but smooth drum loops that bounce freely beneath warm pads which infuse the mix with soul. Thomas Wood's 'All It Takes' has molten bass and liquid synths for a dub house delight on 'All It Takes' and Potholes's 'Bromsman' is the headiest of the lot with DJ Koze-style melodic whimsy.
Eddie Logix - "2nd Choice (It's Still Not Over)" (6:13)
Blair French - "Whispers Of You" (11:40)
Topher Horn - "Gratiot" (dub) (5:46)
Review: Many happy returns to Detroit's Rocksteady Disco, an undeniably consistent label that has reached the ripe old age of ten years old. To celebrate, they're releasing a series of anniversary EPs containing fresh jams from the label's roster of artists. Mainstays Sol Power All Stars get things going with off-kilter Afro-house scorcher 'Solsibisa' - all heavy horns, hot-stepping drum machine beats, squelchy synth-bass and heady vocal snippets - before Eddie Logix combines lightly pitched-down First Choice vocal samples with Balearic guitar bursts and plenty of deep house nous on '2nd Choice (It's Still Not Over)'. Over on the reverse, Blair French gets summery on the Latin-tinged deep house joy of 'Whispers of You', while Topher Horn reaches for dense drums (acoustic and electronic), sparse melodic motifs and heavy bass on 'Gratiot Dub'.
Review: The genius of Nu Groove's ongoing 'Edits' series lies in the quality of its subtle 21st century tweaks of classic cuts from house music's golden age. You'll find plenty of fine examples of this on the latest instalment, volume four. Check first Nice7's bumpin', bass-heavy and organ-rich take on The Sound Vandal's 1991 gem 'Tonight's The Night', which the producer has successfully stripped-back and subtly beefed up, before admiring Hugo Massien's bleeping, tech-tinged remake of the Burrell Brothers' N.Y Housin' Authority classic 'Apt 2A'. You'll find tweaks of two more Burrell projects on the flip: a pleasingly driving Mak & Pasteman edit of the techno, acid and bleep inspired Utopia Project cut 'File #3', and a blissed-out, chugging and saucer-eyed Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon rub of A.B.T's Donna Summer sampling 'Luv 2 Luv U'.
Review: Blackmarket is a New York party that has always led from the front and been a rare underground haven for threads. The label reflects that similar mindset and here label boss Taimur and long-time Costa Rican friend Artro link up for a four-track techno trip. 'Know Your Friends (Vox)' is a percussive workout with sinewy synths reaching into the cosmos. There is more low-end heft to 'Machina' which is weighty and dubby. A second version of 'Know Your Friends' is surging and metallic and last of all 'Elements' brings a touch of high-speed funk to a techno framework.
Review: Following his impeccable album Norm-A-Lize last year, Detroit's City Boy Player returns to Alex O Smith's FXHE imprint with five more soul-stirring sessions. "Foundation" lives up to its name with a classic spoken sample and 11pm mood-changing struts, "Detroit 2 Step" has a touch of the Bonobos with its woozy oboes over lightly swung, organic drums. "Fan Ta Cee" flips the mode for something a lot deeper and darker (think Theo's classic remix of "Falling Up" and you're not far off) while "Consciousness" is a cool creative percussive tool with a swooping rise that sweeps and dips in all the right places. Finally we're sent packing with the bold chord-striking piece "Friday Night". If this doesn't have you marching, nothing will.
Review: Kai Alce's pretty much faultless label NDATL looks to a fellow American house heavyweight here in Detroit soldier Norm Talley, who is head of his own Upstairz Asylum label. First up is a textbook hard edge but deep house sound from Norm on 'Gonna Be' He then keeps things brilliantly deep on 'Power' which is laced with insightful spoken words. Things are just as essential on the flip side with 'The Bounce' making sure dancefloors do just that thanks to Norm's next level drum sounds, then comes the hypnotic 'The Truth' before Norm shows a different look than usual with the more soft and tender delights of 'Dearly Beloved' ft Jerald Dameyon.
Tutto Un Deja Vu (Sparkling Attitude Italo Rave remix)
Magica (Gledd remix)
Review: Tamati's Notte in Riviera EP on the ever-stronger young label Saint Wax is a perfect bit of Balearic house escapism. The title track, which translates as 'night on the Riviera', is just that - a humid late-night house cut with some erect female vocals. 'Tutto Un Deja Vu' cuts loose with freewheeling melodies and blissed-out pads, and 'Magica' then goes deep. Italian producer Franz Scala blends 80s vibes with modern sensibilities like few others as he shows on his remix of the title cut, then Sparkling Attitude and Gledd add their own fresh versions.
Don't Fight The Feeling (The Mighty Zaf edit) (4:56)
Review: Diggers Dozen has got a superb vinyl exclusive here as they press up the glorious Tampa hit 'Don't Fight The Feeling' to 7" for the first time ever. The band formed in 1977 in Miami and was a popular house band in the Tampa Bay nightclub that mostly played covers as well as their own originals in an array of styles. One day the group ripened to an advert on a local radio station for forums to submit music to be inclined on a new comparison showcasing local talents and this is the track they sent it. It is one of only ten tunes to have made the cut and it's easy to see why - it's a fine and high-paced fusion of jazz, disco and soul that sweeps you off your feet. The Mighty Zaf edit on the flip distills things slightly into a track that's even more potent.
Review: Tartan's sixth offering once again combines several different sound worlds into a couple of compelling grooves. There is a world feel to the opener 'Haai' with its exotic strong sounds, lavish jazzy flutes and deep-cut disco-house drums, all topped off with a Balearic energy that will go down well at sun-kissed outdoor parties. On the flip, it is 'Orleans' which is a low-slung chugger with some cosmic chord work up top and breathy vocals adding to the slow and sensuous sense of hypnotism. Two classy tracks for sure.
Review: The Soul Clap label that was once so hype has admirably rolled on once the headlines passed and anyone not checking in on it since then has been losing out, frankly. Just get your ears around this new release from Tatie Dee for a start - it is a stylish six tracker though warm and bumping house with real heart. 'Nuit D'Menil' kicks off with lush late night chords and slick broken beats and from there things get more heavy and big with 'Bed & Break Fast' and then a Black Loops remix takes it into late night territory. 'I Wasn't Born In 1937' has a classic 90s vocal house feel and is brilliant and '16 Swing-71' brings jazz, Chicago and swing to another characterful cut before a darker, harder Belaria remix.
Review: Not content with his role as musical director at Frankfurt institution Live At Robert Johnson, Oliver Hafenbauer unveils his new personal label shaped endeavour Die Orakel with a killer 12" from a familiar friend. TCB is the latest production alias of Live At Robert Johnson fixture Christian BeiBwenger and a man who's studio work with Hafenbauer as B.H.F.V. ranks amongst our favourite releases in the LARJ canon. Essentially an acronymic take on The Citizen Band, BeiBwenger's most recent creative concern, TCB aligns snugly with the warm, rich Frankfurt sound on both "Monogamie" and the delightful "Unchained". The latter track is remixed in suitably smudged and lopsided fashion by Leipzig pair Kassem Mosse and Mix Mup, as MM/KM. A great 12" now how about some more B.H.F.V. Oliver?
Review: Shut Off Notice welcomes Teakup - a local Columbus, Ohio DJ and producer born Lauri Reponen and known for his stylish techno - for a second outing on the label. 'Forest Bed Moss' kicks off with dusty mid-tempo breaks and deep basslines full of soul, while 'Mhm' is a mechanical groove with dubby undertones and nice chopped vocals. 'Rain Groove Revisit' is a deep, percolating and stumbling rhythm with a smattering of percussion and bubbly feel infused with cooing female vocals. Finally, Teakup remixes Rew's 'Fragile Abundance' into a deft and lithe minimal dub for the small hours. Sophisticated stuff once more from Teakup.
Review: The fledgling Pamela label hits release number three with Anthony Teasdale the man charged with taking us on a sonic trip. He kicks off with a gorgeous cut that pairs breezy grooves with flamboyant keys that sound like they come from a theatrical moment in a play. It is a super symphony that sweeps you off your feet while 'A Pavement In Palma' is a humid and sundown gem, 'Deep In The Forest Something Stared' is layered ups with retro-future synths from a band like ELO and 'It's 5am Somewhere' then has more slick kick to it, but no less a majestic sense of melody which seems to be Teaseale's calling card.
Review: For their third limited edition release, LOK Records welcomes Techu with his first ever solo vinyl EP. He presents three strong tracks that perfectly showcase his style: powerful basslines, minimalistic drums, evolving pads and hypnotic synths. On remix duties we have Hungarian talent Pauli with a beautiful, dreamy reinterpretation on the B-side. 'Where Do I Start' ironically starts things off on a note of expansive groove, while follow-up 'Radio Universe' proffers the sound of travelling deep into the heart of a funky universe. 'Point It Out' pares things back to holodeck chillout room vibes, while Pauli's version is comparatively dubbed out and minimal.
Review: Easy Listening Recordings makes its first foray into the world here with a gorgeous EP of high-quality deep house. It's Teen Daze at the buttons and that is a perfectly fitting alias given the romantic vibes and rose-tinted feels of the opener 'Quiet City' which is beautifully melancholic but uplifting. 'Life Style' is a lush and lazy broken beat jaunt that has chords that make you gaze off into the distance and 'Night Club' then brings dusty deep house depths to an early evening dance. 'New Mood' is a more cautiously uplifting feel with yet more quiet but impactful chords and synth.
Review: Telefax Productions - mysterious musical masterminds formed by veteran producers with roots in the late 80s - finally drop a vinyl release of their 2024 breakout club anthem, 'Break This House Down'. It is an unashamedly revivalist hip-house banger backed by proper DJs like Honey Dijon and Luke Solomon and features fiery verses from rising Buffalo MC DeeVoeNay. Alongside the flame-hot original is a live band version with HR Nightmare, plus a rough and ready bruk remix from London's EVM128 and last but not least, a visceral acid house rework. This is a perfect example of how you balance nostalgia and freshness and do it right. The package is finished in style with fine artwork by KLF legend Jimmy Cauty.
Review: Amsterdam's Quartet Series are back with a vibrant various artists compilation, starting out with the lo-fi and moody deep house of Tell's "Hope Springs Eternal" (featuring some sexy disco loops atop) while also on the A side we have Darko Kustura with "Messier Object" which as the label themselves claim, treats us to a "wobbling groovy bassline and sugary sweet chords." We couldn't have said it better ourselves! On the flip, we have Manchester's Loz Goddard with the deep and dusty soul jam "Home" and Hungary's BAL 5000 with the spaced out cosmic house journey "The Acid Is Mine But I Share". Sharing is indeed caring and we're up for those signature squeals from the little silver Roland box anytime!
Review: Nicola Conte and Nico Lahs, both Bari-born producers pushing the boundaries of underground Afro-Latin and jazzdance, hear the warmest of intros through their friends over at Schema Italy, their sound pivoting a careful Newtonian balance between presence and nostalgia. The roomy but distant highs of 'Macumba De Oxala' contrast strongly yet subtly to the hifi plinks and percs of 'La Danse De L'Esprit', on the latter of which we hear visiting production fellow Oaklandian Lalin St Juste add an ancestral vocal magic. This first EP is only a start, with a second 12" and a resultant double LP planned.
Review: Temperature On Arrival is here to prove they are one of the UK's freshest producer duo with this new EP which blends icy beats and warm rhythms. Based in London, their debut features two vibrant house tracks enriched by the soulful vocals of London's Deli OneFourz and the inspiring Minister and singer, AJ McCloud. Fans of Fresh & Low will love '36 Degrees' which radiates sunshine with its pulsating drums, deep basslines, and Deli OneFourz's velvety vocals. Meanwhile, 'The Tunnel' spirits with its gospel-infused energy and AJ McCloud's message of resilience. The tune symbolises collective perseverance and the joy of dancing together and what more do you need to know than that?
On My Mind (feat LYMA & Elf Tranzporter - Inkswel remix) (5:46)
Review: Ed Temple takes things back to the glory age of seminal clubs like Paradise Garage and The Loft with this fresh outing on the Temple Musiq label. 'Pink Velvet' opens up with the sort of lush and dreamy arps that you want to hear either to ease you in or take you out of the dance. 'Don't Wait' then awakens the sense with steamy sax sounds drifting up above mid-tempo house drums and 'On My Mind' is all woozy vocals and smeared jazz guitar licks for some Balearic brilliance. Last but not least is an Inkswel remix of 'On My Mind' that explores broken beats and sunny vibes with a stylish original vocal.
Review: Temple Musiq kicks off with a new EP from label head Temple. The opener 'Who You Are' has already achieved anthem status thanks to getting plenty of plays during Temple's own sets while he has opened for the likes of Rick Wilhite, Osunlande and Trus'me. It's got a nice drum machine drive, subtle acid lines and hooky choruses. The Prins Thomas remix is as you would expect a little more suspensory and cosmic, while Temple's 'Wait For Love' brings you back down to the dancefloor with a taught, twisted, tech house rawness that is offset by a sultry sax line. 'The Tetrah' then winds down with more elastic and dubbed-out, slow-motion house sounds.
Move That Body (with Cevin Fisher - instrumental) (6:52)
Review: A year after it slipped out digitally, Danny Tenaglia's superb 'The Brooklyn Gypsy' finally lands on wax. It's perhaps deeper and groovier than some of his vintage productions, which tended towards the muscular, dark and percussive, but the bassline is fabulous, the Frankie Knuckles-esque chords and textures inspired, and the piano solo that stretches out across the track nothing short of superb. Over on the flip, Tenaglia joins forces with fellow house legend Cevin Fisher on vocal and instrumental takes of 'Move Your Body', a more energetic, thickset and piano-powered affair that sits somewhere between the sun-soaked A-side and the long, Twilo-inspired workouts that marked out Tenaglia's turn-of-the-millennium creative peak.
Review: Tenderlonious returns with a standout 12" vinyl, delivering three tracks that blend deep house with lush, jazzy textures, limited to just 200 hand-stamped and signed copies. Kicking off with 'Underworld,' the A-side offers a ten-minute groove of rolling 808s, atmospheric synths, and sweeping stringsia dancefloor essential. Side B opens with 'Wild Horses,' a mellow, bass-driven journey marked by rich analogue pads and a touching piano solo, followed by 'Ur Love,' a nod to the London club scene with its layered rhythms and melodic twists.
Review: Cult Japanese video game soundtrack designer and happy house hero Soichi Terada's last album Asakusa Light on Rush Hour gets picked apart from some top remixes here. First to go is a former hip-hop beatsmith turned deep house don Byron The Aquarius. He smooths out the grooves of 'Bamboo Fighter' and layers in dusty chords and diffuse melodies that are heartwarming and hypnotic. 'Takusambient' then gets a fine treatment from Alex Attias who brings bubbly chords and bass to a lively deep house cut that is full of subtle party vibes.
Review: Originally released in 1989, Nami Shimada's "Sunshower" was the most unlikely of deep house hits, getting spun and remixed by Larry Heard and subsequently licensed by The Hague-based label in 2004 replete with one of Danny Wolfer's darkest remixes. With the record long out of print and being offered for some overly imaginative prices on Discogs, Creme decision to reissue the record should be met with vociferous applause by late adoptees to the label.
Review: Rhythmic innovator Reza Terenzi returns with a bold EP that again invites us into her signature genre-bending sound which ranges from ethereal to gritty. As such, this one offers something for every moment-whether it's for deep dancefloor energy or reflective stargazing. Recorded between Berlin and Perth, mythical adrenaline and personal introspection all colour the sounds with unpredictable twists and dynamic shifts along the way. 'Ministry Of Wish' is a spangled sound with lithe synths and fluid rhythms, 'Sweatbox' is a twisted club cut, 'Magnetize Me Baby' is more roomy and percolating and 'Endurance' is futurist minimal.
Review: Hardcore followers of deep and jazzy house might well know the name Terry Tester already. He has dropped some fine cuts on labels like Brownswood and BBE and now he cooks up some gritty but glorious new grooves for Creak Inc. His loose-limbed rhythmic style is laid bare on the opener 'Walkin' while 'Wansel' brings some bright and jazzy melodies that light up the ramshackle drums with future soul. Things get nice and trippy on 'Chance' which is wried up with pixelated stabs, acid mumbles and off-grid hits. The best of the lot might be the final cut 'Seven' with its seductive female vocal coos, wispy pads and Detroit drums. Innovative stuff for sure.
Review: The Cuttin' Grooves series is back on TNT Records, featuring a raw reissue of Todd Terry's essential, old-school productions. Leading with 'Do What You Want', it's an uncompromising, drum-heavy track that reflects Terry's gritty, underground vibe. 'Definition Wild Style' is a chaotic, sample-driven cut that keeps the energy high, while 'Dreams of Santa Anna (Remix)' offers a fresh twist on a classic. Wrapping it up, 'A Day in the Groove' is a hypnotic loop-driven gem built for relentless dancefloor action.
Review: Under his Sound Design alias, legendary US house producer Todd Terry dropped his seminal tune 'Bounce To The Beat' back in 1994. 30 years on it is out into the ether once more here courtesy of Hard Times, the newly relaunched label that played a key role in bringing Terry and his peers to UK shores back in the day. As well as the original it comes with two fresh remixes from modern-day tastemakers in Chris Stussy and Dan Shake, both of whom bring it right up to date in style.
Review: Series Of Taboo presents its third release, collating the fiery, broken works of two ingenious verging on igneous artists. The first is the established Copenhagen producer Terry Tester, who sports a two-decades-long career as a turntablist and beatmaker. The second is the talented producer Jay Sound, the keyboardist and composer based in Detroit. Whether more a testament to biographical clout or the music itself, 'Rhythms From World Vol. 1' EP is a compellingly minimal broken beat bound-about, both tracks giving off ineffable moods of formal curiosity over concept ('Triplets' taking after the stave-straddling, crotchety musical three) and 'Loose Idea' sounding like, well, just that.
Glass Slipper - "Unification Vibration" (Atjazz main mix) (6:32)
Diephuis - "Listen To This Drum" (feat Ursula Rucker - Turbojazz & Sean McCabe remix) (7:03)
Review: Reel People Music's latest Foliage Records sampler, the second so far, is another magnificent celebration of the deeper and more spiritual end of the house music spectrum. Freerange label boss and deep house don Jimpster opens up with a shimming and warm remix of Thakzin & Ray T's 'Don't Let Me See.' Atjazz also shows off his signature sound and deftness of design with his remix of Glass Slipper's 'Unification Vibration' and Turbojazz & Sean McCabe remix Diephuis's' 'Listen To This Drum' (feat Ursula Rucker) into a steamy house jam for cosy back room sessions. A rich EP for those who like their disco house musical.
Review: Delusions Of Grandeur, easily one of the most consistent deep house labels to come out of the post-minimal era, returns with that guy we all love, Thatmanmonkz. Himself and Chicago's Khalil Anthony are remixed by the equally consistent Jimpster, who delivers the goods by laying down some utter tech house quality on "Take U 2 My House", while Brooklyn-based Sound Signature man Ge-ology takes on "Jus Anutha Wunna Deez", and comes out the other end with a murky, beat-heavy house monster that bumps so perfectly along. The originals are sexier, chunkier in the mix, and backed by some killer vocals, particularly "Take U 2 My House" - what a beaut! Recommended and tipped...
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - Silverlining Swung dub) (6:58)
Dusty Rugs (feat John Camp - H Foundation remix) (7:25)
Review: Theoretical Speed is an alias of Ryan Crosson, the long time Detroit underground mainstay who runs this label and has always operated at the vanguard. This EP again finds him joining the dots between Detroit and Berlin with opener 'Take Me to Bed and Mix Me Forever' featuring a trademark Visionquest vocal with deep roaming sub bass. 'Dusty Rugs' is rich with cascading keys played by John Camp as the drums bump and hints of Thomas Melchior shine through. Underground veteran Silverlining serves up a 'Swung Dub' on the flip side while H-Foundation also put their signature stamp on another 'Dusty Rugs' remix.
Review: Dan Piu and Grant's Theory of Movement project has served up gold for lovers of heady tech and minimal. After something of a hiatus, it is now back on When The Morning Comes with more of the sort of tuneage that is going to quickly sell out and soon become the ID request du jour at your favourite underground parties. These are of course sophisticated sounds from the silky house bumps of 'Now & Then' with its seductive vocal allure to the throwback 90s sounds of 'Over Time' (Acid Mix). 'Basis' (Foundation mix) is another immediately classic house sound with analogue and dusty drums and zippy melodies next to more smooth chords. 'Motion Of Objects' shuts down with a more zoned-out vibe and widescreen melodic architecture for late nights.
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